Charges Dropped against Gregorius Nekschot (When he was released by the police with a charge hanging over his head, he was warned to watch his step. Otherwise his pseudonymity might just happen to disappear, and everyone would know who he was and where he lived, including the Moroccan thugs who wanted to kill him.

—————————————————————————————————————————–

Mr Redegalli said the image has already been defaced twice since he began painting it on Monday.

Mr Redegalli also drives a ute with stickers on the front saying “Australians have nothing to hide, say no to burqas”.

About 2000 Muslims held a peaceful protest in Lakemba last Saturday, angered by growing local and international pressure to restrict the wearing of veils in public.

The rally was a response to recent bans in Europe and two failed attempts by Christian Democratic Party MP Fred Nile to have a Bill banning burqas and other face veils in public introduced in the NSW Legislative Council.

[In a statement to The Punch, the local authority, Marrickville Council, said that while it had no legal right under graffiti laws to remove the mural, it was “continuing to pursue other means of having the image/symbol removed.”

The local mayor, Sam Iskandar, said: “I strongly condemn this action which goes against the values which the Marrickville community has believed in and practiced for generations. I believe this is an isolated incident which is not supported by the broader Marrickville community.” ]

[Clr Sam Iskandar arrived in Marrickville in 1977 from Lebanon. He has lived and worked in the Marrickville area since his arrival. Sam is married with six children and this is his third term as a Councillor. Sam has a Diploma of Physical Education and he is also a language teacher.]

[As well as being a member of Marrickville Council, Sam is an active member on various committees for the Arabic community and youth and sporting clubs.]

I wonder if the wearing of burkas is supported by the “broader Marrickville community”, or whether they will be given an opportunity to express their will on burkas, sharia, and other aspects of islamisation?

Perhaps we should write to “Mayor, Councillor Sam Iskandar” and ask him what the values are in which the “Marrickville community has believed in and practiced for generations.”

If Iskandar believes “this is an isolated incident which is not supported by the broader Marrickville community” then perhaps he should call for a local referendum….. (now what is the Arab-Muslim population in Marrickville? Have they got the majority or do they have the right to rule under the sharia?)

Obviously, he’s a Mohammedan, Labor (of course) but at this point we know little apart from him founding the ‘Arabic society’ and there isn’t much publicized about what they do. Stay tuned…….

Update:
Found something much more interesting from 2007:

Iskander is a Hamas supporter!

THE war in the Middle East has come to the inner west. Marrickville Council last night voted to formalise a sister city relationship with the City of Bethlehem Council, drawing fire from a Jewish community group.

The Marrickville councillor Sam Iskander, who put forward the idea, says he wants to promote peace and understanding. (SMH)

[Mr Redegalli is using his shop, Cydonia Glass Studio, to create discussion about the issue because he believes state and federal governments are too scared to bring the issue up.

“This mural has come from frustration that political correctness has gone so far you can’t say anything about Muslims without getting in trouble,” he said.

“This is a stance on rights for ourselves, we can say something peacefully without having violence.”

Mr Redegalli said he also believes Australian’s have the right to see another persons face when people are speaking to them.]

* My comment, if it gets published:

I would be willing to buy a small print or glass reproduction for my lounge room, as it is more likely to reflect Australian values than the burka, which might be appropriate in places already largely absorbed into the Dar al-Islam such as Lebanon, but not in the remnant of the Dar al-Harb (Unconquered World), including Australia.

Bravo, Mr Redegalli!

Perhaps Mayor Sam Iskandar, rather than condemning the action, would be willing to hold a local referendum to ascertain the true feelings and values of Marrickville’s residents?

[Sam Iskander is very active in the Arabic community, he teaches Arabic at a school in the councils area and is the original founder of the Arabic Community school. An active member of the Arabic community, It would seem that Sam has kept himself rather busy advocating on Arabic issues since migrating from Lebanon in 1972.

Now none of this is in any way negative, he is an active member of the community, which is praiseworthy in itself but, he busies himself advocating for Arabic issues. Does it not also make the Councils statement that the Sister City relationship has not been done on political grounds a rather shaky construct? Could not Sam Iskander have put forward that a town in the West Indies, Africa Europe or the Americas might make a suitable sister city partner?]